Background
Hudec was born in 1893 in Besztercebánya, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary (now Banská Bystrica, Slovakia).
Hudec was born in 1893 in Besztercebánya, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary (now Banská Bystrica, Slovakia).
He studied architecture at Budapest University from 1911 to 1914.
Major works include the Park Hotel, the Grand Theater, the Joint Savings and Loan building, the combined Baptist Publications and Christian Literature Society buildings, and the post-modern "Green House". Although some of his buildings have been lost in the intervening decades, many survive. His father, György Hugyecz was a wealthy magyarized Slovak architect, born in the nearby village of Felsőmicsinye (now Horná Mičiná), while his mother, Paula Skultéty was an ethnic Hungarian from Košice.
As a patriotic Austro-Hungarian citizen, Hudec volunteered to join the Austro-Hungarian Army after outbreak of World War I, but was captured by the Russian Army in 1916 and was sent to a prison camp in Siberia.
While being transferred, he jumped from a train near the Chinese border and made his way to Shanghai, where he joined the American architectural office Resident Advisor Curry. In 1925 he opened his own practice, and was responsible for at least 37 buildings up to 1941.
After the Munich Agreement, (1938) Hudec lost his Czechoslovak citizenship and applied to become Hungarian citizen. In 1941 he obtained a Hungarian passport and was appointed Honorary Consul of Hungary in Shanghai.
Hudec"s masterpiece is usually considered to be the 22-story Park Hotel Shanghai, on Nanjing Road across from People"s Square.
Built in 1934, it was the tallest building in the city until the 1980s, and is still a local landmark. After leaving Shanghai in 1947 Hudec moved to Lugano and later to Rome. In 1950 he moved to Berkeley where he taught at the University of California.
He died from heart-attack during an earth quake in 1958.
In 1970 his remains were buried in an evangelic cemetery in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. Country Hospital (Chinese: 宏恩医院)
Paulun Hospital (Chinese: 保龙医院)
Margaret Williamson Hospital (Chinese: 上海红房子医院/西门外妇孺医院)
Moore Memorial Church (Chinese: 沐恩堂)
German Church (Chinese: 上海德国礼拜堂)
Chapei Power Station (Chinese: 闸北水电厂)
China Baptist Publication Society and Christian Literature Society Building (Chinese: 真光大楼)
Union Brewery
Grand Theatre
Park Hotel Shanghai (Chinese: 国际饭店)
Doctor Woo"s villa (Green house) (Chinese: 吴同文住宅)
Avenue Apartments
Wukang Mansion (aka ISS Normandie Apartments)(Chinese: 武康大楼/诺曼底公寓)
Hudec House (Chinese: 邬达克公馆)
Columbia Circle (Chinese: 哥伦比亚住宅圈)
Columbia Country Club (Chinese: 美国乡村总会).
Hudec"s style evolved during his active period, from the eclectic neo-classicism popular in the early 20th century to art deco and modern buildings toward the later part of his career.